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Table 2

Assumptions about disease severity following an Escherichia coli O157:H7 infectiona

Severity category

Assumptions

No. 1

Patient does not seek medical care, recovers, and misses 2 days of work

No. 2

Patient seeks medical care for hemorrhagic colitis, has one laboratory test, recovers, and misses 4 days of work

No. 3

Patient is hospitalized for hemorrhagic colitis for 6.5 days and recovers after missing 14 days of work

No. 4

Patient is hospitalized for hemorrhagic colitis for 6.5 days, misses 14 days of work, and dies in the first year

No. 5

Patient is hospitalized for acute HUSb for 5 days in ICUc and 10 days in a regular room, and recovers after missing 32 days of work

No. 6

Patient is hospitalized for acute HUSb for 5 days in ICUc and 10 days in a regular room, requires dialysis for 12 days, and recovers after missing 32 days of work

No. 7

Patient is hospitalized for hemorrhagic colitis; comes down with chronic HUSb; may require dialysis, transplants, or drug therapy; cannot work for an extended period; and recovers

No. 8

Patient is hospitalized for hemorrhagic colitis; comes down with chronic HUSb; may require dialysis, transplants, or drug therapy; cannot work for an extended period; and dies

No. 9

Patient is hospitalized for acute HUSb for 5 days in ICUc and 10 days in a regular room and dies after missing 32 days of work

aAdapted from Buzby et al (4). A patient is defined as a person infected with E. coli O157:H7 who has at least a gastrointestinal illness for more than 1 day.bHUS, hemolytic uremic syndrome.cICU, intensive care unit.

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